Tar-extractor apparatus and method



J. BECKER. TAR EXTRACTOR APPARATUS AND METHOD.

APPLICATION FILED DEC.2, I918- Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l'.

&

J. BECKER.

TAR EXTRACTOR APPARATUS AND METHOD.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 2, I918 Patented Am: 2

0, 1920., 3 S HEETSSHEET 2.

J. BECKER.

TAR EXTRACTOR APPARATUS AND METHOD.

APPLICATION FILI ID DEC.2, I918.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A antra STA Parana orrroa.

JOSEPH BECKER, O33 PITTSBURGH, EENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KOPPERS COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYIr' VANIA.

TAB-EXTLRACTOR APPARATUS AND METHOD.

a ainst.

2'0 all [about it may concern Be it known that I, Josnrrr Brenna, (assignor to The Koppers Company, a corporation of Pennsylwuiia) a citizen of the United States, residing in Pittsburgh, in the county of \Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Tar-Extractor Apparatus and ldethods, of which. the following is a specifiation}.

This invention relates to an improved method, of, and apparatus for, the extraction ofitarry matter from gases, as for example the gases produced as b v-product in the manut'zu-ture of coke. The in'iprored method consists primarily in passing the gas through perforated plates and automaticallv controlling, by the pressure difference between the outer and inner faces of said plates, the area of exposed perforations that determines the velocity of flow of the gases and the consequent. velocity of innungmnent of the tar particles upon said plates; and the method further consists in effecting such control by utilizing said pressure difference to regulate. in respect of said plates. the level of the accumulated tar in which they are partly inunersed. and in keeping the exposed perforations clear by flowing fresh tar uponand through said plates. And the 1nvention further consists in the apparatus for accomplishing; this method of control, and in such other features of structure and ,method as are hereinafter more full detractor, on the line 22 of Fig.3:

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4*l of said Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the perforated plates in the tar extractor hells Specification of Letters ratent.

Patented Apr. 20, 1920.

Application filed December 2, 1918. Serial No. 26%,968.

Fig, 6 is an enlarged section. horizontally through a side of one of the hexagonal bells of the tar extractor; and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional View of one of the diaphragm motor valves.

In said drawings, 20 shows the gas inlet through which the gas to be cleansed enters the lower or receiving chamber 21 of the tar-extractor. This chamber is separated from the main chamber 22 by a partition From the receiving chamber the gas flows upward througl'l the upright, open stand-pipes 24c, of which in this particular instance there are seven. Capped over each of these pipes is a bell or inverted basket of hexagonal form, the sides of which are frames 25 provided with pairs of perforated plates 26, 27, the inner plate. 26, of each pair having its perforations 28 smaller and staggered with the large perforations 29 of the outer plate of the pair, as indicated in Figs. 5 and 6. These bells are suspended from the remo able beams 30. supported in the brackets 31 fixed to the inner face of the upper part of the body of the apparatus. The open lower ends of these hells extend nearlv to the bottom of the main chainber 22, and are immersed in the accumulated tar so that the gas flowing up through the pipes 24 must pass through the perforated p ate sides of the bells.

The gas that has passed out from within the bells into the main body of the chamber 22 is discharged from the latter through one or both of the gas outlets 3 33, according to the subsequent treatment or disposition of such gas.

In passing through the plates 26, 27, with their staggered perforations, the gas, flowing from a higher pressure contained within the bells to a lower pressure maintained outside the bells. has a velocity proportioned in a certain ratio to the pressure differential, and such velocity, imparted to the tar particles carried in the gas, causes these tar particles to impinge and to be deposited upon the said plates, and as this deposition continues, the tar flows down the plates and accumulates in the lower part of the chamber 22, which thus serves as a tar reservoir. The completeness with which the flowing gas is thus free from its tar depends upon maintaining the proper velocitv of impinge merit of the tar particles upon the plates, and this depends upon properly maintaining the pressure differential between the gas inflowing into the bells and the gas outflowing from the chamber 22. The required velocity depends on the quantity of tar carried in the inflowing gas, and when the differential necessary to maintain such velocity has been determined for gas of a given tar content, such diflercntial needs to be maintained notwithstanding that it is constantly being affected by changes in the volume of the gas passing through the apparatus. And for any given volume of the flowing gas, the differential will be determined by the area of eli'ective perforations which the plates expose to the gas above the level 34c of the tar accumulated in the lower part of the chamber 22. The area of the effective perforations above the tar level 3% will vary not only with changes of that level, relative to the height of the perforated plates, but also with the clogging or clearing of the perforations that are above .that level. There is a special tendency to such clogging when the gas contains a large amount of naphthalene and other solid matter in proportion to its tar content. hen the gas contains comparatively little tarry matter,,,

so that the accumulating of fresh tar is slow, there is also an increased tendency for the perforations in the immersed portions of the plates to become clogged with the depositing of solid matter from the more or less stagnating, or but slowly outflowing, accumulation of tar in which the lower portions of such plates are immersed.

The maintaining of the proper area of effective perforations exposed to gas flow is accomplished by raising or lowering the tar level 34 in respect of the height of the perforated plates, changing the extent of their immersion in such tar. And this change of tar level, or of extent of immersion of the bafile plates, is effected in positive automatic response to any changes that occur in the above mentioned pressure differential, and automatically compensates such changes. In the illustrated apparatus, the lowering of the predetermined requireddiilercntial will cause a raising of the tar level, and the raising of the predetermined required difl'eren tial'willc ause a lowering of the tar level. There is also provision for maintaining a circulation of fresh tar, both by the inflowing of fresh tar into the tar accumulating in the lower part of the chamber 22, and also by the spraying of fresh tar over and through the exposed perforations of the perforated plates above the tar level 34.

The tar accumulating in the lower portion of chamber 22 flows out through the tar outlet 35, and thence directly through the outlet pipe 36 when the hand valve 37 in said a pipe open. When such valve 37 is'closed,

the outflowing tar must pass through the by pass 38, around said valve 37. This bypass may be adjusted or shut off by the hand valves 39, 10. It is normally opened and shut oil' by the motor-diaphragm valve A tar inlet 42 provides for the introduction of fresh tar into the tar accumulated in the lower. portion of chamber "3. This tar inlet communicates directly, through the tar inlet pipe 43, with a pump connected to the outside, tar reservoir. Such tar inlet %2 may be shut off by the hand valve 4:4, which is normally open, but its direct communication with the tar reservoir is normally shut off or limited by the hand valve 45, and the inflowpasses wholly or mainly through the bypass 16 around said valve 45. This by.- pass may be shutoff or adjusted by the hand valves 47, 48, and is normally opened and closed by the motor-diaphragm valve 49. lVith the several hand valves adjusted to allow flow of tar through the outlet bypass 38 and the inlet by-pass l6, such inflow and outflow will be determined by the motordiaphragm valves and d9 respectively pertaining to said by-passcs 38 and 26. When the putflow motor-diaphragm valve 41 is open and the inflow motor-diaphragm valve 49 is closed, the tar level 34% in the chamber 22 will lower; and reversely when the said outflow motor-valve allis closed and the inflow motor-valve 49 is open. The open ing and closing of these two motor-valves, to cause raising or lowering of the tar level.

Ell, is effected by a controller that auto-- matically responds to any'changes of the pressure differential between the inflowing and outflowing gas, the controller being connected, through the pipe 50, with the inflowing gas and, through the'pipe 51, with the outfiowing gas. Such controller may be of any suitable kind, but there is here shown a form of the standard Tagliabue controller, the air pressure connections and :gages being of such standard type, and a special differential float control being provided by the present invention. This controller is connected with an air pressure supply, through the pipe 52, and such. air pressure is transmitted to or shut off from the connection pipes 53 and 54% that respectively lead to the outlet motor-valve a1 and the inlet motor-valve 49. When the controller admits air pressureto either the pipe 53 or the pipe 54, the corresponding motor-valve. ll or 49, is forced shut, closing the corresponding by-pass, 38 or 46, and shutting off the corresponding inflow or outflow of tar. When the controller cuts off air pressure from the pipe 53 or pipe 54, the corresponding motor-valve, 41 or 49, opens under the force of its own spring, and opens the corresponding outflow or inflow by-pass. 38 or 4:6, for the corresponding outflow or inflow of tar. The operation of this form of standard controller may be readily understood from Fig. 1. When the inflowing gas increases in pressure in the tar extractor apparatus, such increasedpressure is transmitted through the pipe to the interior of the bell float in the controller, and raises such float; and reversely when the pressure transmitted through connection pipe 50 decreases. Or when the outflowing gas increases in pressure in the tar extractor apparatus, such increased pressure is transmitted through the connection pipe iii to the controllers fioat-chainber 56 and depresses the bell float 55; and reversely when the gas pressure transmitted through pipe 51 decreases, The float stands at normal only when the predetermined required differential exists between the infiowing gas pressure, transmitted through pipe 50, and the outflowing gas pressure, transmitted through pipe When the float is standing at normal in the controller, the float-stem 5? is standing with its fixed collars 5e and :JCll relation to the actuating levers of ir valves (SU- and t l that been of these valves are open, admitting air to both of the connection pi 53 and thus holding I A I 7 I both or the motor-valves ll and -19 closed, shutting off the by-passes and ib, so that the only flow of tar through the outlet 35 and inlet 42 is what may be allowed by the set adjustment of the hand-valves 37 and 15 in the direct outlet and inlet pipes. If there is then either an increase of inflowing gas pressure, transmitted through the pipe 50, or a decrease of the outflowing gas pressure, transmitted through the pipe 51, the float 55 and its float-stem 57 will rise, and the collar 58 will release the lever of the air alve' 60, which will close under its own.

spring, thereby shutting off the air from the connection pipe 53 and allowing the motor-vali-'e ll to open, opening the taroutlet by-pa'ss 38, and thereby lowering the tar level 34, the tar inlet motor-valve remaining closed because the air valve (31 remains open during this action of the air valve (50. As the tar level 3% lowers, more of the plate perforations are exposed to the passing and the differential decreases, whereupon the float and float-stein lower and again open air valve 60, admitting air to the air line and again closing the motor-valve ll in the tar outlet bypass. If now the inflowing gaspressure, transmitted through the pressure line 50, decreases, or the outfiowing gas pressure, transmitted through the pressure line 5i, increases, further lessening the differential, the float 55 and its float-stein 57 will drop still lower and thereby release the lever of the air valve 61 and allow that valve to be closed by its own spring, thus shutting off air to the air line 54 QIlLlfillOWIIlg the motor-valve 49 to open the tar inlet lay-pass as, allowing an inflow of fresh tar that will raise the tar level 34, thus reducing the area of plate perforations exposed to the flowing gas and increasing the dill'erential. Thereupon the float and float-stein again rise, lifting the lever of the air valve 61 and so admitting air to the air line 5% and motor-valve ll) and so again closing the tar inlet bypass 46, the air valve 60 remaining open and holding the tar outlet motor-valve l closed during these actuations of the air valve 61 controlling the motor-valve 4C9 of the tar inlet by-pass. All of these valve movements are gradual, to preclude fast or extreme variations in the maintaining of the desired differential pressure in the tar extractor.

The admission of fresh tar through the tar inlet 12 serves to keep up a circulation in and prevent stagnating of the tar accirniulated in the lower portion of chamber 22 of the tar extractor. Further provision for introduction of fresh tar, to keep clear the poifor 'ons in the balile plates, is made by count -ing the tar inlet pipe 4:3, below the by-pass l6, with a branch pipe 62 provided with a hand valve (53 and arranged to conduct a flow of tar into the circle-pipe (ll, from which there radiate into the lower chamber of the tar extractor the several leader pipes 65, each of which has its inner end connected to a vertical pipe (36 that leads upthrough the middle of one of the corresponding gas stand-pipes Ql and discharges a flow of tar upon the top of the umbrella shaped cap 67 that is suspended within the top of each of the bells of pen forated balile plates. The fresh tar flowing over the tops of these caps 64 is discharged from their edges against the interior faces of the perforated balile plates and flows down such plates and through their perforations, tending constantly to keep such perforations clear of stoppage, and also further maintaining the circulation of fresh tar around the immersed lower portions of the perforated ballle plates. Any undue variations of the tar level 3% brought about by this inflow of fresh tar from the circlepipe and spray caps are compensated by the pressure differential control previously described. The circulation of fresh tar upon and through the perforated plates, serving to keep their exposed perforations clear of stoppage, also furthers the uniformity of operation of the differential pressure control.

The invention may also be applied to the extraction of other-liquid or solid matters from gas, and if utilized for the extraction of other solid matters, the liquid employed in varying the pressure differential or in keeping baflie plates clear of stoppage, may be water or other suitable liquid.

My invention as hereinahove set forth is embodied in a specific illustrative form of apparatus and method, but the invention may of course be embodied in various other forms of apparatus and method within the scope of the claims hereinafter made.

I claim:

1. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas and accumulating tar; perforate baiiie-plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of tar from the flowing gas, said plates being arranged to be partially immersed in the accumulating tar; means, operable by power derived independently of the gas flow for varying the extent of such immersion of said plates, to vary the perforate area they expose to the gas flow; and a controller to operate said means positively in direct automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow through said baiile-plates; substantially as specified.

2. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: acliamber for the flowing gas and accumulating tar; perforate baffle-plates in said chamber, for efiecting deposition of tar from the flowing gas, said plates being arranged to be partially immersed in the accumulating tar; means, operable by power derived independently of the gas flow for raising and lowering the tar level in said .chamber; and a controller to operate said means in automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow through said baffle-plates; substantially as specified.

3. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination achamber for the flowing gas and accumulating tar; perforate baille-plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of tar from the flowing gas, said platesbeing arranged to be partially immersed in the accumulating tar; an outlet for said tar; an inlet for introducing fresh tar into said chamber; valves for said outlet and inlet; and a controller to operate said valves inautomatic response to changes in the pressure diiferential of the gas flow through said ballisplates; substantially as specified.

4. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: a chamber for the flowing 'as and lower part of said chamber. to effect partial immersion of said bathe-plates; means. opferable by a power derived independently of accumulating tar; perforate bafile-p ates in said chamber, for effecting deposition oftar from the flowing as, said plates being arranged to be partially immersed in the accumulating tar; an outlet for said tar; an'

inlet for introducing fresh tar into said chamber; motor-valves for said outlet and inlet; and a pneumatic controller to operate said motor-valves in automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow through said Hallie-plates; substantially as specified.

5. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas and accumulating tar; perforate bathe-plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of tar from the flowing gas, said plates being arranged to be partially immersed in the accumulating tar; and piping and spraying means for introducing fresh tar and flowing it over the exposed perforate area of the bafiie-plates; substantially as specified.

6. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: a chamber for the flowing and accumulating tar; perforate baflie plates in said chamber, for effecting depositio..:. of tar from the flowing gas, said plates being arranged to be partially immersed in the ac v 7. In an apparatus for extracting comminuted matter from gas, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas; perforate baffle-plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of the comminuted matter by the impact of its particles upon said bailie plates as the gas flows through the perforate area of said plates; a reservoir for liquid in the lower part of said chamber, to effect partial immersion of said bathe-plates; means, operable by a power derived independently of the gas flow for varying the extent of such immersion of said plates, to vary the perforate area they expose to the gas flow; and a controller to operate said means positively and in direct automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow through said baffle-plates: substantially as specified.

S. In an apparatus for extracting comminuted matterfrom gas, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas; perforate baffle-plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of the comminuted matter by the impact of its particles upon said bathe-plates as the gas flows through the perforate area of said plate; a reservoir for liquid in the the gas flow for raising and lowering the liquid level in said chamber, to vary the perforate area exposed by said bathe-plates to the gas flow; and a controller to operate said liquid level varymg means in automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow through said bathe-plates; substantially as specified.

9. In a method of controlling the operation of tar extractors, the utilizing of changes in the pressure differential of the bullied gas flow to efl'ect automatically and positively. by power derived independently of the gas flow, the compensating changes of immersion of the bathing in the accumulating tar, to maintain uniformity in the vei ocpy of the gas flow; substantially as speci- 16C. D 10. In a method-of controlling the operation of tar extractors, the utilizing of changes in the pressure differential of the baflled gas flow to effect automatically, by power derived independently of the gas flow the raising accumulating tar, to maintain uniformity in the velocity of the bafiied gas flow confined Iagbgive such tar level; substantially as speci- 11. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas and accumulating tar; baflie plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of tar from the flowing gas, said plates being arranged to be partially immersed in the accumulating tar; means, operable by a power constantly in reserve, to vary the extent of such immersion of said plates, to vary the baflie area they expose to the gas flow; and a controller operable for releasing said means positively in direct automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow against said baflie-plates; substantially as specified.

12. In an apparatus for extracting comminuted matter from gas, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas;-balfle-plates in said chamber, for effecting deposition of the comminuted matter by the impact of its particles upon said baliie-plates as the gas flows against the baffle area .of said plates; a reservoir for liquid in the lower part of said chamber, to-efl'ect partial immersion of said baffle-plates; means operable by a power constantly in reserve, to vary the extent of such immersion of saidplates, to vary the baffle area they expose to the gas flow; and a controller for releasing said means positively and in direct automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow against said bafiie-plates; substantially as specified.

13. In an apparatus for extracting comminuted matter from gas, in combination: a chamber for the flowing gas; bafiie-plates and lowering of the level of the I in said chamber, for effecting deposition of the comminuted matter by the impact of its particles upon said baflle-plates as the gas flows against the baflie area of said plates; a reservoir for liquid in the lower partof said chamber, to effect partial immersion of said baffle-plates; air power means for varying the extent of such immersion of said plates, to vary the baffle area they expose to the gas flow; and a float controlling said means positively and in direct automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow against said baffle-plates; substantially as specified.

14. In an apparatus for maintaining constant differential pressure between'the inlet and outlet pressures of gas flow, in combinat1on: a power means constantly in reserve for varying the cross-sectional area of the gas flow; and a float controlling said means positively and in direct automatic response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow;'

substantially as specified.

15. In a tar-extractor apparatus, in combination: a surrounding chamber for theflowing gas and accumulating tar; a bell chamber within said forate baffle plates through which gas passes from one chamber into the other to effect deposition of the tar from the flowing gas, said baflie plates being partially immersed in the accumulating tar; gas-flow passages respectively communicating with the the bell and with the chamber surrounding the bell; and means, controlled in response to changes in the pressure differential of the gas flow through said bafiie plates, for raising and lowering the tar level in said chamber, to vary the perforate area the bafile plates expose to the gas fiow; substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH BECKER. lVitnesses HENRY LOVE CLARKE, Jos. VAN ARKERCNY,

means for directing the gas flow;

chamber, having per interior of 

